Watts holds off Cook for first trip to victory lane

By Dana Royer/34 Raceway

BURLINGTON, IA (May 10, 2014) – Ryner Transportation night at 34 Raceway so three racers getting their first wins of the season at the 3/8 mile.  Rich Smith, Davenport (IMCA Modifieds), Shane Watts, (IMCA Stock Cars), Burlington and Daniel Keltner (Mod Lites), Coralville, all took the checkered flag  for the first time this season, while John Schulz (305 Sprints), West Burlington, Bobby Anders (IMCA Sport Mods), Quincy, Il., and Austen Becerra (4 cylinders) made return trips to victory lane.

Coming up this week at 34 Raceway will be the Mike’s Hard Lemonade & 101.7 The Bull $5.00  Fan Appreciation Night on Saturday, May 17. $5.00 grandstand admission will put you in the 34 Raceway seats for some exciting racing action. All six classes will be on tap and remember, kids 10 and under are admitted free.

Another nice field of cars checked in for some Saturday night racing action. Storms and lightening were threatening to the south but the rain stayed away and the complete program was able to be completed. The first feature of the night was the Ryner Tranportation  IMCA Modifieds. Fifteen cars took to the track with Dugan Thye and Rich Smith on the front row. Smith took the early lead and would pull away from the field early on. When the second of four cautions came out on lap eleven, Smith’s lead was cut on the restart with Jeff Waterman challenging Smith. But Smith would be able to hold him off to win by three car lengths, his first win at 34 Raceway this season. Bill Roberts would follow to finish third and Brandon Rothzen would move back up to fourth after bringing out the caution on lap 11 for a spin.

Daniel Keltner,  was edged out of a win last week by Justin Buchholz. But this week Keltner would get his eluded win in the Coors Lite Mod Lite feature.  Greg Rossell took the early lead from his front row start and would pull away from the field. Rossell got loose coming out of turn two on lap five  and Keltner took advantage taking the lead.  Keltner had to work to stay ahead of Rossell  for the next seven laps and took the checkered flag for the win.

The W.T. Gabeline and Sons Trucking 305 Sprints were up next with sixteen of the nineteen cars making the field. Chase Wanner and Janelle Schneiderman led the field to the green flag but it would be John Schulz taking the lead at the completion of the first of twenty laps. A red flag stopped the action on lap four when Janelle Schneiderman and Kyle Peterson  flipped coming out of turn one.  When racing resumed Schulz continued to hold his lead while being chased by Justin Newberry. Newberry would be unable to catch Schulz who would go on and take the checkered flag by several car lengths. Andy Huston, Ryan Jamison and Daniel Bergquist would round out the top five.

Shane Watts has been racing stock cars for eight years and never won a stock car feature. That changed for Watts Saturday night, May 10, when Watts held off Jason Cook to get his first win. Watts took the lead from John Brockway on lap five  while there was a three and sometimes four car battle going on behind him. With five laps to go, Cook moved into the second spot . Watts and Cook passed the flagstand nearly bumper to bumper with just two laps to go keeping fans on the edge of their seats. On the final lap Watts was able to get some breathing room and took the checkered flag for the first time.  Despite having a fire in his car during heat race action, Cook was still able to make the field and moved up from his sixth row start to finish second.  John Oliver Jr,  Jim Lynch and Dane Fenton rounded out the top five.

The Casebine Credit Union IMCA Sport Mod numbers were down this week but the action wasn’t. Three lead changes in the fifteen lap race still gave the fans plenty of action. Creston Williams took the early lead before former late model racer Joey Gower would get by for the lead on lap three. Gower would lead the field for the next four laps working to stay ahead of last week’s winner Bobby Anders. Anders would finally get by Gower on lap eight of the fifteen lap feature and went on to take the win by several car lengths.

The Louisa Communications 4 Cylinders capped off the evening with another fine field of twenty cars ready to take on the 3/8 mile. Austen Becerra would  pull away from the field and pick up win number three for the 2014 season at 34 Raceway.  Kimberly Abbott, Billy Stanford  Wayne Noble and Cody Washburn would round out the top five.

34 Raceway May 10, 2014 results

W.T. GABELINE AND SONS 305 SPRINTS

FEATURE: 1. John Schulz, West Burlington, 2. Justin Newberry, Danville, 3. Andy Huston, Roseville, Il., 4. Ryan Jamison, Mediapolis, 5. Daniel Bergquist, Burlington, 6. Nick Guernsey, Burlington, 7. Dillan Roth, Burlington, 8. Chase Wanner, Agency, 9. Dave Getchell, Sperry, 10. Andy Krieger, Burlington, 11. Heath Bundy, Oquawka, Il., 12. Donnie Steward, West Burlington, 13. Kyle Peterson, Gladstone, Il., 14. Janelle Schneiderman, West Burlington, 15. Shane Quam, Gladstone, Il., 16. Richard Brod, Downers Grove, Il., 17. Austin Sears, Macomb, Il., 18. Jayson Ditsworth, Gladstone, Il., 19. Shawn Whiting, West Burlington. HEAT WINNERS: Guernsey, Roth, Wanner.

RYNER TRANSPORTATION IMCA MODIFIEDS

FEATURE: 1. Rich Smith, Davenport, 2 Jeff Waterman, Quincy, Il., 3. Bill Roberts, Jr, Burlington, 4. Brandon Rothzen, Raritan, Il., 5. Mitch Morris, Eldridge, 6. Tyler Glass, Cedar Rapids, 7. Dennis LaVeine, West Burlington, 8. Dean McGee, Galesburg, Il., 9. Dustan Fenton, Burlington, 10. Larry McConnell, Danville, 11. Dugan Thye, Burlington, 12. Collin Rothzen, Media, Il., 13. Tjohn Ahlers, Bettendorf, 14. Troy Greiner, Fairfield, 15. Darrow Lillie, Burlington. HEAT WINNERS: Smith, LaVeine.

PEPSI IMCA STOCK CARS

FEATURE: 1. Shane Watts, Burlington, 2. Jason Cook, Mt. Pleasant, 3. John Oliver, Jr., Danville, 4. Jim Lynch, Donnellson, 5. Dane Fenton, Burlington, 6. Jake Wenig, Burlington, 7. John Brockway, Morning Sun, 8. Chad Krogmeier, Burlington, 9. Wayne Landheer, Carmen, Il., 10. Randy Watchter, Burlington, 11. Mark Bowman, Burlington, 12. Ray Raker, Danville, 13. Travis Hartman, Burlington, 14. Bo Hunter, Burlington,1 5. Matt Keller, Yarmouth.  WINNERS: Fenton, Brockway.

CASEBINE CREDIT UNION IMCA SPORT MODS

FEATURE: 1. Bobby Anders, Quincy, Il., 2. Joey Gower, Quincy, Il., 3. Sean Wyett, Danville, 4. Creston Williams, Newhall, 5. Adam Shelman, Ames, 6. Brett Timmerman, Wapello, 7. Tom Lathrop, Ottumwa, 8. Scott Williams, Atkins, 9. Jonny Williams, Walker. HEAT WINNERS:

LOUISA COMMUNICATIONS 4 CYLINDERS

FEATURE: 1. Austen Becerra, Carthage, Il., 2. Kimberly Abbott, Camp Point, Il., 3. Billy Stanford, Wapello, 4. Wayne Noble, Wapello, 5. Cody Washburne, Mt. Pleasant, 6. Larry Miller, Burlington, 7. Rachael Reger, Burlington, 8. Jacob Brown, Wapello, 9. Bryerson Tharp, Grandview, 10. Brian Mehaffy, Danville, 11. Jerrod Nichols, Stronghurst, Il., 12. Roy Norton, Burlington, 13. Barry Taft, Argyle, 14. Kevin Mortimer, Biggsville, Il., 15. Duane Dixon, West Burlington 16. Ken Stogdell, East Moline, Il., 17. Daytona Fenton, Burlington, 18. Bobby Tompson, Sperry, 19. Jeff Delongjay, Quincy, Il., 20. William Michel, Muscatine. HEAT WINNERS:

Fenton, Brown, Becarra.

COORS LIGHT MOD LITES

FEATURE: 1. Daniel Keltner, Coralville, 2. Greg Rossell, Knoxville, Il., 3. Justin Buchholz, Davenport, 4. Michael Dominguez, Lone Tree, 5. Devon Rouse, Burlington, 6. Collin Ball, Wapello, 7. Gary Snyder, Monmouth, Il., 8. Robert Guss, Moline, Il., 9. Jared Halcomb, Monmouth, Il., 10. Jimmy Halcomb, Kirkwood, Il., 11. Anthony Guss, Moline, Il. 12. Graham Fate, Peoria, Il. HEAT WINNERS: Rossell, Ball.

Category: 34 Raceway, Iowa